LCR clutch pedal problems?

[matt-drummer]

I have a 52 plate lcr and this morning I got in the car as normal, put my foot on the clutch to go but it didn't feel right. The pedal was about half way to the floor, still moved with the normal amount of pressure but the clutch was not releasing enough to engage a gear.

It was cold this morning, the dash said 2.5 degrees c. Anyway, I left it and went to work in my other car and then spent some time search this site for answers. I have found threads about the master and slave cylinders and also a few about bits breaking on the pedal but I'm not really sure what my problem is yet.

Its much warmer this evening and when I got home I went to the car, lifted the clutch pedal to its normal height, there was some resistance and it felt as if the pedal went over centre, all is now normal, the pedal works and feels normal and gear selection is fine. There are no broken bits in the footwell and I'm pretty sure that it has not lost any fluid although its quite hard to see the reservoir now as its dark outside.

Has anyone had the same problem, I would like to go to the garage armed with as much information as possible.

Thanks in advance,

Matthew.

 

[Willie]

I know its stupid but your car mat didn't catch the pedal?

 

[matt-drummer]

Thanks for the suggestion, not stupid at all, but I'm certain it was not the mat.

I'm sure that I had read on here somewhere that this had happened to other cars on cold days, I just can't find the thread now, I spent a couple of hours at work today reading threads but as I didn't have the car with me I could only check lifting the pedal when I got home. Now I can't find the one thread that I remember being closest to my problem.

I just can't work out what's going on and I don't want a garage replacing parts unnecessarily.

 

[Willie]

I had similar problems, with drop in fluid level also
In the end of the day I never came to a solution and no more problems

 

[matt-drummer]

Maybe I will just drive it and see what happens then.

On Monday morning it was 3.5 degrees c , I can't really see why this morning being 2.5 degrees c would be an issue. I can't see how it can really be the master or slave cylinder, they either work or they don't, I've had them fail on other cars before and they just stop working and normally with a loss of fluid.

From what I have read on here, when the pedals break the just fail completely, I have not read anything about gradual deterioration.

When I think about it, I noticed immediately when I got in the car this morning that the pedal was not in the right place. I always leave my car in gear and when I got out of the car Monday night the last thing I would have done was to take my foot off the clutch, maybe it just didn't return fully, maybe if you get it right the clutch pedal can just stick partially depressed?

 

[Willie]

I wouldn't have thought it could
But as you said keep your eye on it and make sure your AA membership is up to date

 

[matt-drummer]

I have breakdown cover so should be OK.

Something was holding the pedal partially depressed as it sprang back to the right height when I lifted it.

Something in the system must be wrong but without any further information I'll wait and see if it happens again, as soon as I can arrange it I think I will get the pedal swopped.

 

[CUPRACAR]

Welcome to the club matey. I first had this problem earlier on this year, similar to what you said, clutch half way down to the floor. I pumped the pedal a few times and it came back to normal. Day by day the pedal got lower and lower until it was on the floor. I had no clutch at all. With some difficulty, I drove the car without the clutch to awesome GTI, where they replaced the master cylinder. All was well for the next 800 miles and then progressively it deteriorated until once again I had no clutch. I took the car back to them. The was no loss of fluid and no signs of a leak anywhere on the system. They bled the system and once again it was fine. Came back from Thruxton last weekend after a round trip of approx 600 miles and had the same problem again. Still no loss of fluid. I purchased a power bleeder and bled the system again. All is now fine. I cannot figure out how this can possibly be happening without the loss of fluid, unless it is an unlikely repeat problem on the new master cylinder. As soon as it starts to happen again, I will take the car back to Awesome and request that they change the master cylinder again and see where I go from there. If I learn anything else, I will post up, and likewise if you manage to find the cause of the problem, I would appreciate any info. Good Luck.

 

[matt-drummer]

If and when I find anything out I will certainly post my findings on here.

I am now coming to the conclusion that it must be a master cylinder fault. I have just been out to the car and its working fine, depressing the pedal slowly I can't feel any sticking, the action is smooth right from the top to the bottom and back again.

Now I am thinking that there is only a partial failure inside the master cylinder that only manifests itself below a certain temperature, maybe the components wear and with differing expansion and contraction rates an internal leak arises within the cylinder causing a change in its operation?

I still can't see though why the pedal wouldn't return to normal as the temperature rose during the day, the return spring on the pedal seems more than strong enough to overcome any possible resistance in the master cylinder without the master cylinder being totally shot.

The temperature thing is related to something I have read but can't find now, it is however the only thing that has changed today, my clutch didn't work at all this morning and now it seems perfect????

You certainly get good value for money with these cars, not only are they nice to look at and drive, but they also give you a hobby for your spare time - chasing and researching all its faults on here! I'm slowly working my way through the common ones, already had the radiator fans and coil packs in less than 1000 miles! I'm just waiting for the maf, coolant sensors etc etc

 

[ArosaRacer]

Amanda's Leon goes into Seat next wednesday for the same fault

 

[matt-drummer]

OK, maybe you could let us know the outcome?

I'm going to talk to my local dealer tomorrow but they never give much of an opinion on the phone - are they all like that?

I live really close to a VW dealer, I might see if they can shed any light on this.

I also recall reading that this problem is common to VAG six speed boxes, obviously not a gearbox issue but they probably use the same clutch components.

 

[gazzy-g]

just had mine fixed 2 weeks ago, the dealer thought it was the return sping on pedal at first. that didnt work, so they changed the master cyl and said all ok gave me the keys and was still the same. left the car with them they canged the slave , box out job , all been perfect since glad i didnt have to pay for it all only got car in june so extended warranty thank god!

 

[matt-drummer]

Do you know what was wrong with the slave cylinder? Was it leaking fluid?

 

[gazzy-g]

no leaks just the pedal kept sticking down, the bite point was different all the time. and first thing in the morning there was no pedal till i kicked the living daylights out of the pedal then it was perfect for i few hours

 

[matt-drummer]

Sounds like my problem then!

 

[CUPRACAR]

just had mine fixed 2 weeks ago, the dealer thought it was the return sping on pedal at first. that didnt work, so they changed the master cyl and said all ok gave me the keys and was still the same. left the car with them they canged the slave , box out job , all been perfect since glad i didnt have to pay for it all only got car in june so extended warranty thank god!

How many miles have you done since they changed they slave cylinder?

 

[gazzy-g]

about 600 now did 200 last sunday alone. so pretty sure its fixed it was undriveable before why are you asking out of interest?